Robert s



(No Model.)

B. S. BOWEN.

PIANO.

No. 595,037. Patented Dec.'7, 1897.

Witnesses 5% Invent/ 074 W Swab: um, (/q'fiorneys.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT S. BOWEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE OI-IIOKERING& SONS, OE NEIV YORK, N. Y.

PIANO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,037, dated December'7, 1897.

Application filed September 13, 1897. Serial No. 651,400. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT S.BOWEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pianos, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawing.

The said drawing shows in plan a plate for pianos with a small number ofstrings applied thereto, the said plate containing the preferredembodiment of the present invention.

As in the case of the invention which is presented in a companionapplication for patent filed on the same date herewith, the general aimor object of the present invention is to meet the demand which exists inthe market for a small grand piano. In working to attain this aim orobject I have sought to reduce the number of square feet of floorspaceto be occupied by an instrument, and also sought to give to the widestportion of the instrument a minimum of width in order that the mostprominent or extreme outer portion of the casing of the instrument shallproject to a minimum extent from the wall-line of the room containingthe instrument when the instrument is placed against the wall.

Both the present case and the companion application aforesaid relate tothe same general invention, which latter in the present in- Stance,briefly stated, relates more particularly to the string-support orplate, the strings which are applied thereto, and the agraffes, andcomprises an improved construction and arrangement whereby I am enabledto reduce the proportions and dimensions of the plate, and therebyreduce the proportions and dimensions of the casing, as well as maintainthe length or width of the projecting portion of the instrument at theminimum, and thus am enabled to effectuate the general aim or objectaforesaid. The present case covers a specific form or embodiment of thesaid general invention and consists, therefore, in the plate of improvedconstruction which I now will proceed to describe fully with referenceto the accompanying drawing, after which the distinguishingcharacteristics of the present invention will be particularly pointedout and distinctly defined in the claim at the close of thisspecification.

In the drawing, 1 designates the plate in its entirety. The stringswhich in practice are applied to the plate are omitted for the greaterpart for the sake of clearness, but the arrangement thereof will beobvious to those who are skilled in the art. The said strings aredivided into four groups, as customary, herein designated 2, 3, 4, and5. As customary also, three of the said groupsnamely, those which aredesignated 3, 4, and 5ex tend usually from front to rear in onehorizontal plane, while the fourth group of stringsnamely, thatdesignated 2-is arranged in a different horizontal plane above theothers, this group crossing the direction of the others more or lessobliquely that is to say, being overstrung. This group last mentionedcomprises the bass strings. An advantage incident to having the bassstrings overstrung is the fact that it enables the strings of theremaining three groups to be spread or distrib uted more widely over thebridge therefor, (not shown,) thereby giving freer tone. Theoverstringing of the bass strings is adopted or resorted to for thepurpose of enabling the bridge therefor (not shown, but fitting inpractice within the opening 6 in the Web 7 of the plate 1) to be broughtor located somewhat tuning-pins for the said remaining strings be ingdesignated 11. Oustomarily the plate is so constituted and the stringsare so applied thereto and disposed thereon as to locate thestriking-points of all the strings in the four groups in one straightline extending across the front portion of the piano and parallel withthe front end of the piano-that is to say, the keyboard end. As is wellknown, the respective strings of a piano vary in length, those of thehighest pitch being the shortest, while the length increases as thepitch lowers, except that the very lowest or gravest are reduced inlength by being loaded. As is well known also, the striking-point ofeach string is at a point in its length that is proportional to itslength, such point varying from a position at about one-fifteenth in thecase of the treble to a position at one-seventh in the case of the bass.It follows from the variation in the positions of the striking-points onthe strings that when all the striking-points are kept in one straightline that is continuous across the piano from one side thereof to theother the agraifes must occupy positions at various distances to thefront of such straight line of strikingpoints-that is to say, the lineof agraffes must curve or incline away from the line of striking-pointsin proceeding from the treble end to the bass end. fact the line ofagraffes does project to a considerable extent in the usual grand pianoto the. front. of the line of striking-points at the portion thereof towhich the bass strings are applied. It will be borne in mind that inaddition the. tuning'pins are located to the front of the agraffes. Thenthe group of bass strings is caused to occupy an oblique position, thisposition of said strings requires some of the agraffes for such stringsto. be located farther out to one side than the end of the. line ofstriking-points, and also requires. the, corresponding tuning-pins to belocated out farther to. the same side than the end of the, series ofagraffes, thereby causing a. lat.- eral projection of the series ofagraffes and a still further lateral projection of the series oftuning-pins for the bass strings beyond the end of the line of thestriking-points. Moreover this. oblique position of the bass. stringsnecessitates in addition a wider spacing apart of the agraffes thereforin a piano in which the striking-points on the strings are kept in astraight line across the piano, inasmuch as the greater the extent to.which the strings are inclined with relation to. the line, of agraffesthe, closer will the, strings be brought to each other. Inother words,when the line of agraffes extends at right angles across the group ofbass strings the latter will be spaced at a distance apart correspondingwith the spacing of the agraffes throughout the whole length of theparallel portions of the strings. The greater the angle at which theline of agraffes crosses. the group of strings the closer together willthe parallel portions of the strings become, assuming the spacing of theagraffes to remain as at first. Hence when the bass strings are given aninclined or oblique position it has been found necessary to space apartthe agraffes, 850., more widely than before in order to separate thestrings. to. the extent which is required for the attainment of the bestresults. The greater the obliquity of the bass strings with reference tothe other strings the greater has had to-be the increase in the lengthof the line of striking-points.

From the. foregoing it will'be perceived that the proportions anddimensions of the front portion of the plate of a grand piano having Inpoint of "of practical importance.

the striking-points of the strings disposed in a straight line acrossthe same are increased by overstringing the bass strings, that thedimensions of the corresponding part of the case are likewise increased,and that the increase is proportionate to the obliquity of the bassstrings, this following in part from the fact that the strings requireto be spaced apart more widely than before on the line of thestriking-points, and also in part from the fact that the obliqueposition of the wires compels the line of agraifes to be extended pastthe end of the line of striking-points and the series of tuning-pins tobe extended past the end of the series of agraffos.

In carrying my invention into effect I departv from the establishedprinciple of main- 1 taining the striking-points of the wires in one Qline across the piano. of strings, as 2, relatively to the remainder, ibutI dispose the striking-points of these. over- I strung strings 2 in aline which is inclined at an angle to the line in which the. striking- Ioverstring one group points of the remaining strings are arranged.

;. In order to effectuate this, I arrange the line 1 or series ofagraffes S pertaining to the over- 1 strung strings 2 in a position atacorresponding inclination or angle relatively to the line 1 or series ofagraffes 1O pertaining to the rc maining strings 3, at, and 5, the saidline or series of agraffes 8 being disposed approximately at rightangles across the groupof f strings 2, and I arrange the tuning-pins 9for such overstrung strings 2 in a correspond in gly-inclinedseries-that is to say, at an angle t0 the series, of tuning-pinspertaining to the strings. 3, 4, and 5, and also approximately at rightangles to the group. of strings 2. Thereby I bring the striking-pointsof the strings 2 in a line which crosses the group composed of suchstrings approximately at right angles.

From the foregoing flow various advantages Thus the strings are spacedat the requisite distances apart with a minimum separation of theagraffes. 8,

850., from one another, which enables the line or series of saidagraffes to be. reduced to the 1 minimum length. This follows from thefact that a line crossing the. group of strings 2 at or approximately atright angles measures less in length than any line crossing such groupat a greater obliquity or inclination, and the further fact that thedivisions of the former line produced by the intersections of the;strings 1 are less in length proportionately than those to be reducedpermits the transverse length of the front end of the plate orstring-support. to be reduced correspondingly beyond- I what would bepossible otherwise with an obliquely-disposed group of strings, therebyallowing a corresponding reduction to be made in the transverse lengthof that portion of the would be advantageous ordinarily. WVith myinvention applied this may be effected without adding to the length ofthe front end of the plate or string-support, whereas under thepreexisting construction and arrange ment the said length would beincreased to an undesirable extent. I am thereby enabled to locate thebridge for the overstrung strings and the opening 6 therefor on the web7 of plate 1 in a most central position relatively to thesounding-board, which is a highly important advantage. The increasedobliquity of the overstrung strings, moreover, enables the rear portionof the instrument to be reduced in dimensions transversely, while thelength of the instrument from front to rear at the treble end of thekeyboard is greatly reduced.

In carrying the foregoing portion of the invention into effect I formthe respective keylevers of the series pertaining to the overstrungstrings of progressively -increasing lengths, beginning at thehigher-pitched end of the series of strings 2 and proceeding toward thelowest or gravest strings, thereby enabling the rear ends of suchkey-levers to be located adjacent the inclined line of striking-points.This is illustrated in the corn panion case aforesaid. To enable thesaid key-levers to coact properly with hammers, &*c., of usualcharacter, Iform certain thereof with bends, as shown in said case,which bends locate the rear ends of the respective levers in properposition relative to the correspond ing strings. This obviates anycomplication or difficulty with the hammers and adjacent parts.

I construct the plate 1 of the three webs or web portions 7, 71, and 72,The last mentioned constitutes the front portion of the plate and hasthe agraffes 8 and 10 and the tuning-pins 9 and 11 mounted thereon. Theweb or web portion 7 constitutes the principal portion of the rear partof the plate, it having the hitch-pins 20 and 21 mounted thereon. Theproximate ends of the webs or web portions 7 and 72 are joined orconnected together by the bar 73. The inclined or oblique web or webportion 71 connects or joins together the divergent ends of the webs orweb portions 7 and 7 These three webs or web portions inclose thecentral space 74, which is clear or free of crossing or intersectingstruts, braces, and the like. The web or web portion 71 is stiffened orstrengthened by the rib 7 5, the latter extending longitudinally of thesaid web or web portion and along close to the inner edge thereof. Thewebs or web portions 7 and 72 are formed with the inwardly-extendingribs 7 6 76, at the inner ends of which are the holes 77 77, throughwhich in practice are passed bolts which connect with the skeleton (notshown) or interior framework on which the plate is mounted.

I claim as my invention- The improved string-support or plate comprisingthe webs or web portions 7, 71, and 72, and having the centralunobstructed space 7 4-, also having the strings applied to the webs orweb portions 7, 72, with one portion overstrung with relation to theremainder, and also having the agraffes for the front por tions of thesaid strings mounted on the Web or web portion 72 with those for theoverstrung strings disposed in a line or series at an angle to the lineof agraffes of the remaining strings and approximately at right anglesto the group of overstrung strings, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT S. BOWEN.

Witnesses:

CHAS. F. RANDALL, WM. A. MAOLEOD.

